Finance Minister Taro Aso has been shooting his mouth off again. Tokyo Shimbun reports that at a recent "meeting" he said it "wasn't fair" that the country had to pay for the medical costs of people who "eat as much as they want and drink as much as they want and then end up with diabetes."
Japan's national health insurance does not discriminate between people who maintain good health and those who don't. You pay according to your income. "Of course, if you have an inherent weakness, that's another story," Aso added, obviously recognizing that some people will take offense at his opinion.
But apparently it's something he's thought about a lot. The Asahi Shimbun reports that during opening remarks at a Lower House "party" of some kind Aso said, "I think we should make an incentive for people who are making an effort to stay healthy."